Trial of Petunia hybrida Multiflora cultivars AGM 2007 AGM Entries receiving The Award of Garden Merit (H3) (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Mid Blue' AGM (H3) 2007. Sent by and available from, Turkey Cock Lane, Stanway, Colchester, Essex CO3 8PD. Plant 50cm high, with erect, fairly compact, mounding habit. Flowers 5cm in diameter; single; deep velvety purple-violet, closest to N89A, with cream anthers; flowers cover approximately 80% of the plant. Rich, velvety colour. Good healthy foliage. Recovered well after wet weather. (Frenzy Series) Frenzy Pink Morn AGM (H3) 2007. Sent by Ball Colegrave Ltd, West Adderbury, Banbury, Oxon OX17 3EY. Plant 50cm high, with mounding habit. Flowers 6.5cm in diameter; single; cream heavily flushed vibrant pink N66B, strongest towards the lobe margins; purple flush in throat; cream anthers; flowers cover approximately 80% of the plant. Attractive bi-coloured flowers. Consistently recovered well from affects of bad weather. (Frenzy Series) Frenzy Rose AGM (H3) 2007. Sent by Ball Colegrave Ltd, West Adderbury, Banbury, Oxon OX17 3EY. Plant 50cm high, with mounding habit. Flowers 6.5cm in diameter; single; vibrant dark-pink N66A with purple flush in throat; cream anthers; flowers cover approximately 80% of the plant. Very vibrant pink, with good flower cover. Good impact. Consistently recovered well from affects of bad weather. (Opera Supreme Series) 'Opera Supreme Blue' AGM (H3) 2007. Sent by Takii Europe BV, Hoofdweg 19, 1424 PC De Kwakel, The Netherlands. Plant 38cm high, 50cm spread, with semi-trailing habit. Flowers 6.5cm in diameter; single; velvety purple, closest to, but richer and deeper than, N89A; light-blue 104D anthers; flowers cover approximately 80% of the plant. Masses of flower. One of the best deep violet-blues. Very good ground cover. Recovered very well after wet weather. 1
(Opera Supreme Series) 'Opera Supreme Pink Morn' AGM (H3) 2007. Sent by Takii Europe BV, Hoofdweg 19, 1424 PC De Kwakel, The Netherlands. Plant 25cm high, 60cm spread, with trailing habit making close ground cover. Flowers 5cm in diameter; single; bright-pink N66B; cream anthers; white throat; lime-green N144D veins radiating from throat; flowers cover approximately 90% of the plant. Very good, vigorous plants make a complete carpet of flower. Good consistent colour. Dead flowers hidden. Good sized flowers for pots. (Opera Supreme Series) 'Opera Supreme Purple' AGM (H3) 2007. Sent by Takii Europe BV, Hoofdweg 19, 1424 PC De Kwakel, The Netherlands. Plant 30cm high, 70cm spread, with trailing habit making close ground cover. Flowers 6cm in diameter; single; vibrant magentapurple, closest to, but richer and redder than, N74A; throat purple 79C; black-purple veins; light-blue 104D anthers; flowers cover approximately 80% of the plant. Excellent flower cover. Attractive, vibrant colour with nice sheen on petals. Good spreading habit. Healthy plants; no spotting / weather resistant. 'Pink Lady' AGM (H3) 2007. Sent by and available from Thompson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP8 3BU. Plant 70cm high, with erect, compact, mounding habit. Flowers 5.5cm in diameter; single; dusty pink 63B with cream throat and anthers; flowers cover approximately 80% of the plant. Very vigorous plants. Pretty pink flowers with satin sheen. Good flower cover and recovered well after wet weather. The following entry cannot receive the AGM recommended to it until queries on availability have been resolved. It is the responsibility of the sender to inform the Trials Office at Wisley that all queries have been resolved. SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY (Horizon Series) Horizon Bright Rose. Sent by Ltd, Norwich Road, Foxley, Dereham, Norfolk NR20 4SS. Not currently available in retail catalogues. Plant 50cm high, with mounding habit. Flowers 7cm in diameter; single; vibrant deep-pink N66A; white eye; cream anthers; flowers cover approximately 80% of the plant. Good sized flowers with bright, vibrant colour and attractive, contrasting white eye. Consistently recovered well from affects of bad weather H3 Plants hardy outside in some regions or in particular situations or which, whilst usually grown outside in summer, need frost free protection in winter. Sources of seed for these cultivars vary from year to year. 2
Trial Notes: Objectives: The objectives of the trial were to assess a range of Petunia hybrida multiflora cultivars; to evaluate weather tolerance and floriferousness; to recommend the Award of Garden Merit [AGM] to those considered excellent for ordinary garden use and to demonstrate the range of Petunia hybrida multiflora cultivars currently available from seed. Entries: There were 202 entries in the trial, submitted by various seed companies in the UK, Europe and USA. Cultivation: Seed was sown on 18 April onto pans of peat-free propagation compost and watered in with Revive (a product that containing natural soil micro-organisms which encourage soil fertility and healthy plant growth). Bottom heat of 20-25 0 C was provided and the seed was germinated under mist. Seedlings were later pricked out into 6cm Jiffy pots of peat-reduced compost and grown on under protection. From the end of May the plants were gradually hardened off and then planted out on 7 June. The entries were spaced 40cm apart each way in blocks with 50cm between each entry. The Shock Wave and Opera Series, which were expected to be more vigorous, were spaced 50cm apart each way. 12 plants of the single coloured cultivars and 24 plants of the mixtures were grown. The plants had been quite small at planting out and there had been no selection for the best, but care had been taken at planting out to ensure good establishment. The plants had been watered in at planting, then irrigated with sprinklers the following day and watered again with a lance a couple of days later. Further irrigation had not been needed as the weather had then become very wet. Judging: The Floral Trials Sub-Committee assessed entries in the trial for the Award of Garden Merit on 24 July, 7 August, 22 August, 4 September and 19 September using the following criteria: floriferousness : earliness : longevity of flowering weather tolerance : disease resistance Findings: The cool, wet summer meant that this had not been a particularly good year for Petunia, although the multiflora cultivars had been bred for the open ground and were expected to have better weather tolerance than grandiflora cultivars. The Sub-Committee noted that most entries did recover when the weather improved and that many were still flowering in mid-september, with the plants withstanding the colder nights better than the Impatiens growing in other parts of the Garden. However, as anticipated, the heavy dews that are normal for September mornings caused spotting and damage to the flowers and flowering performance deteriorated with the cooling nights. At each assessment the Sub-Committee noted anything that marred the appearance of the plants, such as opening out, dying back or yellowing foliage 3
and spotting on the leaves or flowers. They also noted that different colours in some of the series were variable in habit, as well as in weather resistance. The Mambo series was noted as consisting of compact, uniform plants with a good habit and the PrimeTime series as having notably healthy foliage. Torrential rains towards the end of July had washed soil away from roots and resulted in the foliage being splashed with mud, but it was noted that the entries that had made good ground cover had not been as badly affected by the mud splashes. When the Sub-Committee met in the morning of 24 July to assess the trial they found that the heavy rain had damaged the blooms and that there was virtually no flower on the majority of plants, Photo by Sue Drew 19 July 2007 24 July 2007 so they returned at 2pm to inspect the trial by which time fresh flowers had begun to open on a number of entries. A fortnight later the Sub-Committee found that the trial had recovered well from the torrential rains and was making a good display, Trial assessment 7 August 2007 although a shower on Monday 6 August, immediately followed by strong sunshine for the rest of the day, had resulted in many entries showing spotting on the flowers. The weather had again turned cool and wet towards the end of August so, when the Sub-Committee came to assess the trial on the 22 August, there was very little colour. However, the plants had again recovered to give a good display in time for their assessment on 4 September. Trial Entries: Award Name Sender AGM (H3) 2007 (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Mid Blue' AGM (H3) 2007 (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Rose' AGM (H3) 2007 (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Pink Morn' AGM (H3) 2007 (Opera Series) 'Opera Supreme Pink Morn' Takii Europe BV AGM (H3) 2007 (Opera Series) 'Opera Supreme Purple' Takii Europe BV AGM (H3) 2007 (Opera Series) 'Opera Supreme Blue' Takii Europe BV AGM (H3) 2007 'Pink Lady' Thompson & Morgan AGM (H3) 2007 STA (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Bright Rose' AGM (H3) 2002 (Duo Series) 'Duo Salmon' AGM (H3) 2002 (Duo Series) 'Duo Peppermint' AGM (H3) 2002 Duo Series, mixed Thompson & Morgan 4
Award Name Sender AGM (H3) 1993 (Mirage Series) 'Mirage Midnight' Mr Fothergill's AGM (H3) 1993 Mirage Series mixed Mr Fothergill's AGM (H3) 1993 Carpet Series, formula mixed D T Brown 'Baby Duck' Bonanza Series, mixed E W King (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Blue' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Blue Crystal' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Blue Ice' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Burgundy' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Burgundy Frost' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Burgundy Star' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Carmine' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Chiffon Morn' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Lilac' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Lilac Morn' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Neon' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Orchid Ice' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Peach Ice' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Pink' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Pink Morn' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Plum Ice' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Raspberry Ice' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Red' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Red Morn' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Rose' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Rose Frost' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Rose Star' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Salmon' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Scarlet' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Sky Blue' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Strawberry Ice' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity White' (Celebrity Series) 'Celebrity Yellow' Explorer Series, mixed E W King (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Blue' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Blue Star' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Blue Vein' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Burgundy Star' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Butter Cream' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Carmine' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Deep Dark Dawn' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Grand Rapids' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Lavender Glow' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Lavender Vein' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Light Blue' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Light Salmon Vein' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Lilac' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Mid Blue' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Morn Mixed' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Orchid' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Pink' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Plum Bicolour' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Purple' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Red' 5
Award Name Sender (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Red Frost' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Red Morn' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Red Star' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Red Vein' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Reflections' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Rose Morn' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Rose Star' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Rose Vein' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Salmon' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Salmon Morn' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Satin & Silk' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Set the Fashion' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Star' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy Velvet' (Frenzy Series) 'Frenzy White' 'Glistening Pearls' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Blackcurrant Sundae' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Blue' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Blueberry Sundae' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Coral Halo' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Deep Rose' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Flame' (Horizon Series) Horizon Knickerbocker Glory (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Lavender' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Lavender Sunrise' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Light Salmon' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Midnight Blue' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Pink' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Raspberry Sundae' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Red' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Red Halo' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Rose Halo' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Ruby' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Salmon' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Sky Blue' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Strawberry Sundae' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Sunlight ' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon White' (Horizon Series) 'Horizon Yellow' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Blue' Horizon Series, formula mixed (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Blue Veined' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Carmine' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Coral Flare' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Lavender Tie Dye' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Pink' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Pink Chiffon' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Pink Flare' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Pink Veined' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Plum' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Red' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Red Star' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Rose' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Rose Star' 6
Award Name Sender (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Salmon' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Salmon Chiffon' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Salmon Veined' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah Velvet' (Hurrah Series) 'Hurrah White' Hurrah Series, formula mixed (Kanon Series) 'Kanon Blue' (Kanon Series) 'Kanon Carmine' (Kanon Series) 'Kanon Red' (Kanon Series) 'Kanon White' (Kanon Series) 'Kanon Yellow' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Blue' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Deep Purple' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Pink' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Purple' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Red' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Rose' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Salmon' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Sweet Pink' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo Violet' (Mambo Series) 'Mambo White' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Blue' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Blue Picotee' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Burgundy Picotee' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Cherry Rose' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Light Salmon' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Magenta' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Pink Improved' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Pink Vein' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Plum Vein' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Red' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Red Picotee' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Rose' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Rose Picotee' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin Salmon' (Merlin Series) 'Merlin White' Merlin Morn mixed E W King Merlin Picotee mixed Merlin Series mixed Mini Bella Picotee mixed Thompson & Morgan Mirage Reflections mixed (Nuvolari Series) 'Nuvolari Dusty Morn' (Nuvolari Series) 'Nuvolari Harlequin Rose' (Nuvolari Series) 'Nuvolari Pastel Pink' (Nuvolari Series) 'Nuvolari Purple' (Nuvolari Series) 'Nuvolari Red' (Nuvolari Series) 'Nuvolari White' (Opera Series) 'Opera Supreme Lilac Ice' Takii Europe BV (Opera Series) 'Opera Supreme White' Takii Europe BV 'Plum Crystals' Mr Fothergill's (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Blue' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Blue Star' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Burgundy' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Burgundy Star' Goldsmith Seeds 7
Award Name Sender (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Carmine' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Lavender' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Light Blue' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Mid Blue' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Pink' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Pink Morn' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Pink Vein' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Red' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Red Frost' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Red Star' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Red Vein' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Rose' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Rose Frost' Goldsmith Seeds (PrimeTime Series) 'PrimeTime Rose Star' Goldsmith Seeds PrimeTime Series, formula mix D T Brown (Shock Wave Series) 'Shock Wave Buzz' (Shock Wave Series) 'Shock Wave Electric' (Shock Wave Series) 'Shock Wave Ivory' (Shock Wave Series) 'Shock Wave Pink Shades' (Shock Wave Series) 'Shock Wave Pink Vein' (Shock Wave Series) 'Shock Wave Purple' (Shock Wave Series) 'Shock Wave Rose' (Sundance Series) 'Sundance Blue' (Sundance Series) 'Sundance Red Shades' (Sundance Series) 'Sundance Ruby' (Sundance Series) 'Sundance Salmon' (Sundance Series) 'Sundance White' (Sundance Series) 'Sundance Yellow' Sundance Series mixed Johnsons Seeds Addresses of senders Ball Colegrave Ltd, West Adderbury, Banbury, Oxon OX17 3EY D T Brown & Co, Bury Road, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7PR E W King & Co Ltd, Monks Farm, Pantlings Lane, Kelvedon, Essex CO5 9PG Ltd, Norwich Road, Foxley, Dereham, Norfolk NR20 4SS, Shipstone on Stour, Warwickshire. Goldsmith Seeds Inc, PO Box 1349, Gilroy, California, 95021, USA Johnsons Seeds, Gazely Road, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7QB, Turkey Cock Lane, Stanway, Colchester, Essex CO3 8PD Mr Fothergill's Seeds Ltd, Gazely Road, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 7QB GmbH Postfach 854 99008 Erfurt Germany, 17 Summerwood Lane, Halsall, Ormskirk, Lancashire L39 8TH Ornamentals UK Ltd, The Wilgro Nursey, York Road, Thirsk YO3 7AA Suttons Consumer Porducts Ltd, Woodview Road, Paignton, Devon TQ4 7NG Takii Europe BV, Hoofdweg 19, 1424 PC De Kwakel, The Netherlands Thompson and Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP8 3BU Source: Trials Office, The RHS Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB e-mail: trials@rhs.org.uk. More information about RHS Trials and other trials reports can be found on the RHS Website : http://www.rhs.org.uk/trials 8